Disability Awareness Month

Disability Awareness Month

Each October, we honor Disability Awareness Month, which has a deep-rooted connection to UC Berkeley as a birthplace of the disability rights movement.

We also celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), recognizing the value and contributions of people with disabilities within our community and beyond. This year's NDEAM theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” reinforces our commitment to creating inclusive environments where all individuals—students, staff, faculty, and community members—can thrive and have access to meaningful opportunities, both on campus and in the broader workforce.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law protecting the rights of people with disabilities. In a related first, Berkeley created a Campus Disability Strategic Plan, submitted by the Campus Advisory Council on Disability and Accessibility Planning. It is the first such plan in the University of California system.

Our campus continues to be a leader in advocating for the rights of disabled people, thanks to the tireless activism of disabled students, faculty and staff and the allyship of the broader Berkeley community. Together, we uphold Berkeley’s proud tradition of fostering inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunities for all.

Spotlight: Disability Justice Hub

3 students smiling walking in front of sather gate

Despite the significant progress made by the disability rights movement over the past few decades, many groups remain excluded from fair access and representation. We invite you to learn about different types of disabilities, broaden your understanding of disability, and explore Disability Justice. Together, we can all take steps to combat ableism and foster a more inclusive and thriving community.

Student Orgs and Advocacy Groups

Student Resources

Staff and Faculty Resources

General Resources

Task Forces/Advisory Bodies

Read and Watch

Staff Spotlight: Ann Wai-Yee Kwong (she/her)

Ann Wai-Yee Kwong smiling with the Golden Gate Bridge behind her.

Transcription of 1600-1800s Handwritten ledgers: AI software, vendor process, lessons learned

from Xanth King, DSP Accessible Formats Technology Specialist - via Association on Higher Education and Disability via Association on Higher Education and Disability

Our final format for the student, with handwritten text

Access is a culture, not a checklist

via California Alumni Association

Ann Wai-Yee Kwong at the 2025 Disabled Students’ Program Graduation.

Lawyer Spotlight: Ella Callow

Assistant Vice Chancellor, Chief Accessibility Officer & ADA/Section 504 Compliance Officer

Ella Callow headshot

Student housing at People’s Park to be named after Judith Heumann, disability rights leader

via Berkeley News

Judith Heumann, who graduated in 1975 with a master's degree from UC Berkeley's School of Public Health, helped lead the Disability Rights Movement. Her work has been chronicled in books, interviews and film, and her family hopes the naming of a campus

Introducing Creekside Center, a new home for UC Berkeley’s Disabled Students’ Program

via Berkeley News

The original two-story wood frame building was designed by campus architect John Galen Howard and built in 1920. It was rehabilitated during the past year and a half by architects known nationally for sustainable design, historic preservation and universal accessibility.

This Berkeley MFA exhibition probes how museums and institutions exclude disabled bodies

Priyanka D’Souza, pictured before various works created for "b. Call in sick."

Motivating factor: Family of alums endows disability studies

via Berkeley Inspires

Photo of Florence Wong ’93 and Andrew Haskell ’91

Haskell Wong family recognizes UC Berkeley’s rich history in the disability rights movement with new endowment

via Letters and Science

Andrew Haskell, Florence Wong, Ann Haskell, and Barry Haskell in front of Doe Library

Geography senior championed access for the disabled, while graduating with three bachelors degrees

via Letters & Science

Yuqi Tian graduation photoshoot in front of doe library

UC Berkeley hosts National Symposium on Disability Cultural Centers

Group photo outside the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center

Promises and pitfalls of the disability rights and independent living movement project

by Shanna Farrell, Academic Specialist/Interviewer UC Berkeley Oral History Center

oral history cover photo of a speaker sitting down talking into a microphone

Ugly Laws by Susan M. Schweik, emeritus faculty and co-founder of the Disability Minor

Ugly Laws by Susan M. Schweik, emeritus faculty and co-founder of the Disability Minor

Disabled ecologies: Lessons from a wounded desert by Prof. Sunaura Taylor

book cover of Disabled ecologies: Lessons from a wounded desert by Prof. Sunaura Taylor

Finding Space Podcast

via Research, Teaching & Learning

finding space where students with disabilities thrive

New assistive device enhances grasping for people with spinal cord injuries

The Dorsal Grasper assistive device, developed by UC Berkeley engineers, facilitates human-robot collaborative grasping.

Increasing accessibility with the Dorsal Grasper [Instagram video]

via the College of Engineering

Dorsal Grasper working with electronics

Disability Awareness Month 2025

A message from leadership to the campus community.

Events

Find Disability Events throughout the year.

Research

Professor Laura Sterponi

She investigates autistic language using Interactional Linguistics and Conversation Analysis, uncovering communicative resourcefulness in autistic individuals that had previously been overlooked. This research has reshaped our understanding of echolalia, highlighting it as a purposeful and adaptive communication strategy rather than simply automatic repetition of words. Her scholarship advances the academic field of neurodiversity.

Headshot of Professor Laura Sterponi

About the Loop

The Loop infographic: The Loop is a golf cart that provides intra-campus rides for eligible faculty, staff, and students with disabilities on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Loop is a free on-campus ride for disability access. It is a service that provides free rides for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities. Rides run from 7:45am-10pm during the fall and spring semesters, with extended hours during special events. The service offers about 120 rides per day with a five-minute average wait time, 37 stops, and student drivers operating three carts during peak hours. Contact and request details are listed at loop.berkeley.edu, access@berkeley.edu, and (510) 643-6456.

Invisible Disabilities

Sunflower graphic with text reading 'Invisible Disabilities' in the center, surrounded by the words 'Awareness - Support - Resources - Advocacy.' Below is a website URL: uhs.berkeley.edu/invisibledisabilities.

Invisible disabilities, such as chronic illnesses or mental health conditions, often go unnoticed but can significantly impact workplace experiences. At Berkeley, the Disability Management program is committed to fostering inclusivity, offering resources, training, and support for faculty and staff navigating these challenges. Learn about reasonable accommodations, workers' compensation, and available workshops to better understand and support invisible disabilities in the workplace.

Learn more about Invisible Disabilities and Disability Management

Have content submissions for this page or feedback to share? Your opinion matters to us. Share your thoughts through this website feedback form.